Off-peak commuting: save time, save money

Commuting outside of peak times can change your life for the better.

07 October 2011Matt Campbell

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Sleep in, save moneyA Drive test has shown that commuting outside of peak periods helps you and the environment.

If we told you there was a way to add hours of relaxation to your working week, would you be interested? What if we said you could also save as much as $1000 a year in the process and would also be doing your bit for the environment, dropping your CO2 emissions by up to 1.7 tonnes a year. Interested? Read on.

All you have to do is change the time you travel to or from work.

Depending on the length of your commute - be it a 10-kilometre rat-run down a well-worn stretch of suburban blacktop or a 75-kilometre trek from the far, far outer suburbs - there are significant advantages to changing the time of your daily drive to and from the office.

Anzac Bridge traffic

An exclusive Drive test has revealed that no matter what type of car you drive, you stand to save hundreds of dollars a year as well as adding as much as half an hour of leisure time to every day. From diesel and hybrid small cars through to large soft-roaders, the potential savings ranged from 4 per cent to 31.1 per cent, depending on your commute. Considering the average motorist spends about $2500 on fuel each year, there's huge potential for some extra pocket money.

The idea for our test involved using drivers tackling their everyday route. Each member of the Drive team took the same car home on successive nights. One day they would drive to work during peak periods, the next they travelled outside the heaviest peak times.

In Sydney, the morning peak is generally longer and more difficult to traverse, with heavy traffic building from 5am. Suburbs in the extremities tend to have longer peak periods that start earlier, while roads closer to the centre of the city experience their worst bumper-to-bumper times between 6am and 9am. Outbound travel is also badly affected, with traffic building from 2pm through to 7pm.

The peak hour commute is not only stressful but expensive too.

During the past five years, the average peak period speed has also dropped in Sydney and Melbourne, meaning your commute is not only starting earlier, it's also taking longer.

In Sydney, average morning travel speeds have decreased by as much as 26per cent on major arterial roads since 2005, while Melbourne has seen drops of as much as 12.6km/h since 2009.

The problem is compounded by increasing numbers of cars on the road and urban sprawl, and Australia's two most populated cities are experiencing longer periods of peak traffic as people try to avoid the stress and inconvenience of being stuck in a sea of slow-moving commuters.

For our comprehensive experiment Drive tested six cars running on petrol, diesel and LPG. There was even a hybrid model - the Honda Insight - as well as the large Volkswagen Touareg off-roader.

The routes varied depending on the driver and the car, with total one-way travel distances varying from 10.6kilometres through the inner suburbs right through to a 68-kilometre run from the next town on the map. But each trip involved a run into the city centre of either Melbourne or Sydney, ensuring it was representative of common commutes and took in the heaviest traffic Australia has to offer.

Across the gamut of variables, the average commuter stands to spend 113 hours less per year sitting in traffic - that's almost four days ? and save more than $300 on fuel during a 12-month period. The average reduction of carbon dioxide emissions was 570 kilograms.

As with the financial gains, it was all achieved by altering working hours to get to work by, say, 10am rather than 9am, and leaving later in the evening, rather than pushing home in peak hour.

Perhaps predictably, the more fuel a car uses, the bigger the potential for gain when it comes to saving fuel. The biggest figure we saw during the testing came in the LPG-powered Falcon XR6 EcoLPi, which guzzled an average of 19.7 litres of LPG per 100 kilometres during peak periods but dropped by 4.5L/100km (or 22.8 per cent) to 15.2L/100km on average when we drove it outside of peak hours. Those numbers may seem high but the latter figure is well below Ford's official urban fuel use for the car (18.2L/100km), highlighting the benefits of travelling outside the usual peak times. Keep in mind, too, that LPG is less than half the price of petrol, so the financial gains aren't as dramatic for our LPG-powered Falcon, adding up to a still-impressive $409.50 saving (calculations used average fuel prices of 60? a litre for LPG, $1.40 a litre for unleaded, $1.50 a litre for premium unleaded and $1.50 a litre for diesel). We also bettered the urban claimed consumption for Volkswagen's Touareg large SUV and Kia's Sportage compact soft-roader - all by driving outside the usual busy times.

The biggest gains were made in the Mercedes-Benz C250 CGI luxury car. With a claimed fuel use of 9.9L/100km in the city, the off-peak run was almost textbook, recording a figure of 10.0L/100km. In the more congested peak-hour run, though, that figure ballooned 45 per cent to 14.5L/100km. On that particular 27-kilometre run (and, as with the other cars, assuming extra driving for other duties) the driver stands to use 675 litres less premium unleaded each year and save more than $1000 in fuel costs, all by tailoring when they're hitting the road. The estimated impact on the environment is just as dramatic, with up to 1.6 tonnes less CO2 emitted.

However, a lot depends on the type of commute you have. Hit a bad patch of traffic or an unavoidable congested route and the savings are less dramatic. During a short but busy 9.9-kilometre run, the turbocharged petrol Volvo S60 returned a figure 27 per cent higher than its claimed city fuel use (a reflection on the roads, not the car) while negotiating peak traffic, while the off-peak run dropped that by a modest 4.0 per cent. Again, though, it's still a saving that equates to almost $100 a year and can save 232 kilograms of CO2.

Despite its regenerative brakes that can turn braking energy into electricity for later use in the onboard electric motor, the Honda Insight also showed hybrid cars can benefit from avoiding peak times on the roads. On a short 10.9-kilometre suburban run its fuel use dropped 24.8per cent to just 6.1L/100km, a figure still well above the fuel sticker's claimed 4.9L/100km.

With petrol prices on the rise, though, there's potential to multiply the savings. If prices hit $2 a litre, for example (and assuming LPG and diesel rise by a similar percentage), the savings in our test would range from $130 to almost $1300.

Drive's research coincides with findings published by both the NSW-based Roads and Traffic Authority and VicRoads, which show the traditional peak period is now about three hours long and getting longer every year.

The RTA's traffic control centre monitors more than 3700 intersections across the state, with the aim of making traffic flow as freely as possible by intervening with traffic light timing and the like. But there's a much simpler solution.

''Just a small change in driving patterns can have a major impact on improving congestion,'' an RTA spokesman says. ''Motorists travelling outside of peak times will experience shorter travel times.''

Getting to sleep in a little longer with the aim of wandering through the door at work at 10am seems fairly enticing, and Dr Paula McDonald, an expert in flexible work policies from the Queensland University of Technology, says bosses may be more receptive to the idea than you'd expect.

''I think that happens in a lot of workplaces in a very informal way and there's a greater acceptance of that. Adjusting start and finish times is kind of tweaking at the edges of work,'' McDonald says. ''We know that having control over working hours has significant and demonstrable health and well-being benefits,'' she says.

McDonald says longer commutes have increased pressure in the workplace and that work intensification - being expected to squeeze more into a working day while still maintaining similar working hours - is compounded by longer travel times.

''I think more importantly [it] is the time that is saved in not having to battle traffic - commute times have added to the intensification of work and it impacts significantly on family, because it robs parents of time with their children and robs children of time with their parents.''

McDonald says the need to be ''in the office'' isn't as great as it once was - but she says that being ''visible'' is synonymous with being committed and productive in the minds of most bosses.

''There can be concerns around trust, about not being able to see the employee and so therefore not trusting that they're performing or working when they're not visible or present,'' she says.

''The demand for a whole range of flexible work policies - not just work from home but different start times and different finish times has increased exponentially in the last decade. I think the demand from women has always been there but increasingly fathers are involved in caring for their children, in doing the school drop-offs and pick-ups. In terms of staggered or flexible start and finish times there's a much greater demand from men in recent years.''

Dr Michelle Zeibots, from the University of Technology Sydney's Institute for Sustainable Futures, says in most cases, employers will be receptive to the idea of staggered working hours, particularly if your daily drive to work is causing you stress.

''I think the first point would be to go and have a talk with your boss,'' Zeibots says. ''Go over the options and possibilities with them. If there are small things that can be done - like coming in a bit later, or maybe having one day a week where you work from home - then it's worth having that discussion.''

But starting work later is just one way motorists can reduce the number of cars on the road at peak times. More road users are increasingly travelling on their own and Zeibots says carpooling could be the alternative to public transport many of us have been longing for but haven't yet considered.

''People need some help with things like carpooling, these things rarely just occur on their own. But you might know someone who you can travel with and I think that can reduce the stress of travelling as well.'' Zeibots says technologies such as smartphones could be a valuable tool for creating a carpooling network.

''I think we need to see more carpooling in the future,'' she says.

''Whether we will I think depends upon how good we are with using these new smart technologies, and things like that help us to communicate and link people up so that they can combine trips and co-ordinate and collaborate with other people.

''As fuel prices increase - I think that's a bigger incentive than avoiding traffic congestion - then car sharing will become enormously important for a lot of people, because if you're sharing your car trip to work with another person then you're cutting your fuel bill by at least 50 per cent.'' Commuters may also consider cycling, walking or public transport to get to work but some of us prefer the comfort of our cars and, as such, we tend to forgo the healthier - and generally cheaper - alternatives.

Zeibots says, much to some drivers' dismay, cyclists are one of the keys to freeing up transport corridors.

The number of peddlers on the road is increasing in Sydney and Melbourne and the benefits to other commuters are becoming clear, she says.

''If we're able to get some people from those slightly longer distances to cycle to work, then that really does free up a lot of capacity for other people, and in that way, the CBD can continue to grow,'' she says. ''The role of the humble bicycle is actually very, very important.''

Battling congestion: Sydney focus

Avoiding peak-period traffic problems is one thing but research suggests congestion is rising in and around Australia's major cities.

The NSW government has implemented measures to combat the congestion crises on Sydney's roads, such as multi-passenger transit lanes on several main arterial roads throughout greater Sydney, live travel-time updates onlineand signposted along major roads,and time-of-day tolling for the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel. The latter effectively makes it more expensive for drivers to enter the city from the north during peak periods.

The toll costs $4 from 6.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 7pm. It drops back to $3 during the day and $2.50 overnight.

RTA results show there has been little effect from time-tolling on congestion. On average, Harbour Bridge traffic has risen by 3.7per cent between 5.30am and 6.30am, and by 2.2per cent between 9.30am and 10.30am - while the number of drivers on the road during the main peak period increased by 0.9per cent. Harbour Tunnel traffic also increased between 6.30am and 9.30am (0.7per cent) and in the hour following the main peak period (3.3per cent).

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, says traffic congestion is one of the biggest challenges for the council and government.

''Right now congestion is crippling our city and it's not going to get any better unless we radically rethink the way our city works and how people move around,'' Moore said earlier this year.

''Congestion costs Sydney businesses and residents $3.5billion a year and this is expected to more than double to $7.8billion by 2020 if we do nothing.''

Moore says the City of Sydney's plans to invest $180million to make George Street partly pedestrianised will help motorists, not hinder them.

Battling congestion: Melbourne focus

Doing your bit to avoid peak-hour traffic is one thing but research conducted by Drive appears to point to further increases in congestion on the roads in Australia's major cities.

Melbourne's periods of peak traffic flow are starting earlier and lasting longer, according to VicRoads' 2009-10 Traffic Monitor bulletin. This ''peak spreading'' is a consequence of more commuters choosing to travel during peak times. While traffic numbers have increased by 2.3per cent on Victoria's monitored road network compared with the preceding 12months, the reliability of travel times had improved, particularly during morning peak, according to the report.

The state government has implemented measures to combat the current congestion crises on Melbourne's roads, such as duplication of outer-metropolitan arterial roads, elimination of 10railway crossings, new connections and extension of key routes, and intersection improvements. Other projects include shared paths, bike lanes, better signage and signals and priority lanes to support bus and tram services.

The Monash-CityLink-West Gate upgrade is now largely complete, with extra traffic lanes and access ramp changes on sections of the Monash Freeway. The West Gate Bridge now carries five lanes in each direction.

But where Sydney uses a time-of-day tolling system for the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel, CityLink only offers off-peak tolls for heavy commercial vehicles.

''CityLink tolls are governed by the concession deed we have with the state government,'' CityLink spokeswoman Selby-Lynn Nicholas says.

By Chris Harris

What car makers are doing

When most of us think of saving fuel, the word ''hybrid'' doesn't take long to spring to mind. Petrol-electric drivetrains are at their most beneficial when it comes to inner-city travel, as most ? such as the archetypal hybrid, Toyota's Prius ? can use electric power alone at speeds of up to 50km/h.

But hybrid technology isn't the only way manufacturers are aiming to cut fuel use in heavy traffic.

They are increasingly adding clever fuel-saving features to new vehicles, such as gear-shift indicators - which suggest the most efficient point to change up or down a gear - and stop-start systems that cut the engine when the car is sitting still in traffic.

''Following simple economical driving tips such as avoiding rapid acceleration and braking and even just keeping your tyres inflated to the recommended pressure can significantly improve the fuel economy of any vehicle you're driving,'' Phipps says.

''Of course, it helps to start with a vehicle that has been developed to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions ... but the same driving rules apply to any vehicle.''

One innovation helping drivers watch their fuel burn is the instantaneous fuel-use readout, which encourages drivers to keep economy in mind.

Japanese car maker Honda has taken the fuel-saving game to the next level ? by making it an actualgame.

Honda's hybrid-powered Insight hatch is fitted with ''ecological drive assist'', which includes an ''Eco'' mode that moderates the response of the throttle; a speedometer that lights up green when driving efficiently and blue when not.

It also has and an inbuilt ''coaching'' system offering ''rewards'' as you achieve fuel-saving milestones.

Honda says the system could reduce some people's fuel use by as much as 20per cent. The man who developed the technology for Honda, Yasunari Seki, says the system encourages a ''higher level of environmental responsibility''.

Seki says Honda's research showed that careful drivers could get up to 21per cent better fuel use than those with poor driving styles.

Smart roads

Modern satellite navigation systems can help you avoid traffic snarls by suggesting a less congested route. This isn't just the realm of high-end, factory-fitted systems, though ? even a sub-$200 satnav unit can tell you where to go if there's bumper-to-bumper bedlam.

Brands such as Navman, TomTom, Uniden and Garmin all offer satnav systems that use the SUNA Traffic Channel developed by Australian company Intelematics.

The company's traffic prediction technology uses a database containing ''hundreds of millions of actual vehicle speed measurements'' across all major roads in the nation's capital cities to assist drivers in finding the best route to take to avoid peak traffic.

The chief executive of Intelematics, Adam Game, says SUNA plays an important role in making the daily commute easier.

''SUNA Traffic Channel provides a real-time traffic service that enhances the driving experience of Australian motorists by helping them understand, anticipate and respond to changes in traffic flow and road conditions,'' Game says.

''With SUNA now available to more than 95per cent of the Australian main metropolitan population, we believe we are in the best position to deliver the next phase of theservice.''

The company recently launched its new TPEG real-time traffic service that can be transmitted by wi-fi internet and digital radio networks. The new service includes incident updates, road conditions and traffic congestion or delays.

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